Title: Managing uncertainty in a supply chain reengineering project towards agility

Authors: Chee Yew Wong, Jan Stentoft Arlbjorn

Addresses: Business School and Logistics Institute, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK. ' Department of Entrepreneurship and Relationship Management, University of Southern Denmark, Engstien 1, Kolding DK-6000, Denmark

Abstract: Supply chain uncertainty arises when products are fashion-driven, in addition, seasonality, competitive and shortening life cycle. To manage supply chain uncertainty, companies know that they ought to become more agile, flexible, reliable and speedy. Often supply chain reengineering projects are initiated to identify and manage supply chain uncertainty. However, during the reengineering process, two more uncertainties emerge – strategic and implementation uncertainties. Without overcoming these three uncertainties, it is difficult to transform the supply chain. This paper presents a longitudinal case study to uncover how the three uncertainties are managed in a supply chain reengineering project of a multinational toy company. Decision-making, risk (uncertainty) analysis and mitigation solution of the project are revealed. A framework was established due to the importance of anticipating and managing all three uncertainties and their interactions. The framework reveals how these uncertainties may be identified, analysed and mitigated.

Keywords: supply chain planning; supply chain reengineering; supply chain uncertainty; case studies; toy industry; supply chain risk; supply chain management; SCM; decision making; risk assessment; risk management; risk mitigation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2008.021214

International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 2008 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.282 - 305

Published online: 11 Nov 2008 *

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